Column: It’s time to teach all levels of students in Gaston County

Published: Thursday, January 2, 2014 at 10:02 PM.

I was alarmed when recent statistics ranked the U.S public school system 20th in reading, 22nd in science and 28th in math. It’s apparent that our public school system is failing many of our students.

Our retiring Superintendent recently stated Gaston County graduation rate increased from 68.1 percent in 2006 to 81.2 percent in 2013. According to Darrell Allison, president of Parents for Education Freedom in North Carolina, only 46 percent of poor students in Gaston County passed end-of-year testing over the last 5 years. That means 54 percent of poor students are passed on to the next grade and possible graduation but are doomed to poverty due to the lack of knowledge and skills needed to be successful.

Knowing these facts most school administrators, school board members and the local teachers union oppose school vouchers, which would enable low-income students to attend private schools and break the poverty cycle in many low-income families. Our local teachers union president stands behind educators filing suit against the state for using tax dollars to fund vouchers.

I would rather see my tax dollars fund a great education in a private school setting than spending my tax dollars on the continuation of poverty. It appears money and power have priority over education in our public school system. I have heard it said that stupidity is doing the same thing year after year but expecting different results.

Many argue that taking money and the brightest students out of the public school system will doom it to failure. I say the competition and less funding will force it to improve.

According to the Friedman Foundation for educational choice between 1950 and 2009 students have increased by 96 percent and teachers increased by 252 percent while administration and non-teaching workers have increased by 702 percent. It is clear where the out of control increase exists.

I truly believe teachers are underpaid. Eliminating inept teachers and unnecessary administrators will allow more money for teacher increases.

I was alarmed when recent statistics ranked the U.S public school system 20th in reading, 22nd in science and 28th in math. It’s apparent that our public school system is failing many of our students.

Our retiring Superintendent recently stated Gaston County graduation rate increased from 68.1 percent in 2006 to 81.2 percent in 2013. According to Darrell Allison, president of Parents for Education Freedom in North Carolina, only 46 percent of poor students in Gaston County passed end-of-year testing over the last 5 years. That means 54 percent of poor students are passed on to the next grade and possible graduation but are doomed to poverty due to the lack of knowledge and skills needed to be successful.

Knowing these facts most school administrators, school board members and the local teachers union oppose school vouchers, which would enable low-income students to attend private schools and break the poverty cycle in many low-income families. Our local teachers union president stands behind educators filing suit against the state for using tax dollars to fund vouchers.

I would rather see my tax dollars fund a great education in a private school setting than spending my tax dollars on the continuation of poverty. It appears money and power have priority over education in our public school system. I have heard it said that stupidity is doing the same thing year after year but expecting different results.

Many argue that taking money and the brightest students out of the public school system will doom it to failure. I say the competition and less funding will force it to improve.

According to the Friedman Foundation for educational choice between 1950 and 2009 students have increased by 96 percent and teachers increased by 252 percent while administration and non-teaching workers have increased by 702 percent. It is clear where the out of control increase exists.

I truly believe teachers are underpaid. Eliminating inept teachers and unnecessary administrators will allow more money for teacher increases.

Our state retirement program allows full retirement benefits for public sector employees after 30 years. This means many public sector employees retire between the ages of 48 and 55 years of age. This same retirement benefit has driven cities into bankruptcy and threatens several states. It is not sustainable. We allow full retirement when people are at their prime in their profession. Full retirement should not be allowed until employees are 62 years old with at least 30 years of service. This would open up salary increase funding for teachers, policemen and firemen. Most other public sector jobs pay as much or more than private sector jobs.

The next step is how do we educate those children left in public schools. Our school system spends too much on computer technology. Most experts agree that the brain should be exercised to make us smarter. By exercise they mean memorizing, doing addition, multiplication and division. Training their brains to do the things students rely on computers and calculators to do for them. It used to be a disgrace if you had to sign an “X” for your signature. At the rate we are going it will be the norm. Few nations if any spend as much on technology as we do. They train their student’s minds to think and work out problems. Teaching students technology should reserved for high school students after they learn the knowledge and skills needed to excel in life.

The Christian heritage of our forefathers is no longer taught in schools. Instead progressive educators rewrite history. Benjamin Franklin once said, “Man will ultimately be governed by God or by tyrants.” Patrick Henry said, “It is when people forget God that tyrants forge their chains.” Democracies fail when God and true history is not taught.

John Kennedy said, “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.” I am sure there are a lot of grade school students with little parental guidance who dream of being a policeman or fireman. Many of these students look up to an officer in uniform. All they need is someone to mentor, guide and encourage with a study program added in. How many retired police chiefs, fire chiefs or officers are willing to establish a program titled future policemen or future fireman of Gaston County? This could be a club or an early vocational training program. It may be time to dust off the uniform and volunteer as many have been blessed with a great retirement program and may want to give back.

There is a tremendous need for vocational training in Gaston County. It would be extremely expensive to add massive vocational training to all schools as most have a sampling of vocational training. Adding a larger vocational training program to a Gastonia located school should be a possibility. It’s time to teach a profession to failing students.

It is time to educate all students. I encourage the new Superintendent of Schools and our school board to act.